Earliest 450

[ianwayne]

There is a Chimaera at ACA on Saturday that has a 'badged' 450 plenum and a 450 badge on the rear. But they' didn't make the 450 as early as K reg did they?

http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/en/classic-auct...

To complicate things, the DVLA still have it registered as having a 4.3 litre engine. Seeing as the 430 version is rare, I expect a 450 second hand engine was put in. Possibly?

[Classic Chim]

You need to check engine number. That has the correct rocker boxes for a 4.3 which in themselves are quite rare.
I'd call POWERS PERFORMANCE in Coventry and explain what you have. I seem to think there are some rare 450 cars with this earlier spec engine that are supposed to be good but again Dom at Powers can confirm if you indeed got a 4.5. The 4.6 was developed from this engine that I think both John Eales and Dom were instrumental in its development work.
I think any provenance on these early engines has long since gone as is most the power from them but still I'd def check that your engine is actually one of these rather than the later bog standard Rover engines.
This might be a figment of my imagination so could be a blind alley but it's def worth finding out because you might well have an early 450 that is in itself quite rare now I'd imagine.

[ianwayne]

Thanks for the reply but I haven't actually bought it. Yet maybe..

I hadn't noticed the rocker covers were different on a 430. So not just a complete engine replacement. There's no way to really tell without stripping the head off to measure the bores I suppose.

It's at auction on Saturday but I think it may be worth a trip to see.

Edited by ianwayne on Friday 16th June 07:38

[QBee]

Possibly only needed to replace the bottom end...so used a 4.6 block etc but transferred the existing and undamaged heads etc

Being anoraks, like most TVR owners, they of course had to change the badges....